The Yampa Valley RISE program is a unique grant-funded collaboration between the Hayden and South Routt School Districts which will expand Career and Technical Education (CTE) programming in Hayden and Soroco High Schools.

In 2021, the Districts were awarded a $1.05M grant from Governor Polis’ RISE (Response, Innovation, and Student Equity) Education Fund. Funding supports career connected learning experiences that are aligned to the needs of our local economy. The Yampa Valley RISE project focuses on the expansion of Career & Technical Education (CTE) agriculture pathways and an aligned Kindergarten through 12th grade curriculum in collaboration with Colorado State University. Yampa Valley RISE will build upon established CTE programming in both districts and significantly expand to include all 6 CTE Pathways under Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Energy. Starting in 2022, Hayden and South Routt will be the first School Districts in Colorado to offer all 6 comprehensive pathways.

The purchase of all equipment in the labs will be covered by the RISE grant and a Perkins Innovation grant. However, because grant funding cannot be used for the capital expenditures, facilities construction and renovations needed to complete the career pathway labs, the Yampa Valley RISE Fund has been set up at YVCF to facilitate charitable donations.  These donations will be split between the Hayden and South Routt School Districts to support the RISE Program and construction of the labs.

To donate to the Yampa Valley Rise Fund, contact Traci Hiatt at 970-879-8632 or traci@yvcf.org.

Currently, over 50% of the students at each high school are taking advantage of Ag programs, while lessons in the Developing Individuals and Growing Stewards (DIGS) program are being taught at the K-5 level, and Intro to Ag classes at the middle schools. The high schools currently offer Intro to Ag and Fundamentals of Ag along with automotive, welding, horticulture, and animal sciences classes. Through Yampa Valley RISE, programming will be expanded to include food products and processing, wildlife management, and natural resources. These choices will impact the futures of our students by enabling hands-on and work-based learning opportunities.

High school teachers at both districts work collaboratively to offer expanded curriculum for students and match their skill sets to industry standards. With the remodel of existing facilities for hands-on learning labs, students will have the opportunity to practice essential skills for post-secondary education or workforce development. In addition to hands-on learning, students will earn certifications in welding and food service, and have the opportunity to graduate with an Associate’s Certificate in Agriculture from Colorado Northwestern Community College. The RISE Program will allow each district to focus on how students can expand their current agricultural businesses and Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE), providing essential equipment and labs where they can receive proper training that is currently not available. Through development of these career pathways through RISE, students will be able to hone skills during high school in career pathways that are not currently accessible until their third or even fourth year at a university, such as meat fabrication and processing. Parallel opportunities include natural resources, agricultural mechanics/welding, and plant sciences.

Like many other industries, agriculture is changing. Career and Technical Education (CTE) is vitally important for students to discover avenues that foster their individual talents, to prepare for post-secondary education, and to develop employable skills. Through the RISE Program, the districts are leveraging the agricultural roots of the Yampa Valley to expand career-connected learning opportunities and enable students of Hayden and South Routt to thrive in the future of Colorado’s economy by aligning education with industry demands.

• Assistance toward the replacement of a prosthetic leg for a 30-year old woman who was living in pain.
• Funding toward the purchase of a vehicle for safe and reliable transportation for a survivor of domestic violence.
• Wardrobe alterations for young man with cerebral palsy to allow him to live a more independent life.
• Tutoring and IEP advocacy assistance for a family in need to help their son access support services.
• Funding for Routt County Crisis Support to provide First Responder Wellness, Peer Support and Community Emergency Assistance Programs.

These are just a handful of examples of the 55 grants, totaling more than $105,000, funded in 2021 through Yampa Valley Community Foundation’s giving circles. Funding through YVCF’s giving circles is, in many cases, life changing for our fellow community members who are in need or going through crisis.

A Giving Circle is a group of passionate people who come together, pooling charitable donations and making collective decisions about where to grant their money within the community. Giving Circles offer members a chance to learn more about giving and community issues in an active, team approach to philanthropy. Giving circle members seek to increase their awareness of and engagement in the issues covered by the circle. They are a way for those interested in charitable giving to have insight into specific circumstances where their donations have an impact.

YVCF hosts three giving circles: Women’s Giving Circle, WZ Giving Circle and IMPACT100. The Yampa Valley Community Foundation provides all administrative and financial services to the Giving Circles. The Women’s Giving Circle and WZ Giving Circle both accept proposals from nonprofits on behalf of anonymous clients who are experiencing crisis or need financial assistance with something that is a critical need. IMPACT100 is a program designed to be accessible to anyone interested in participating in philanthropy and learning more about the organizations serving Northwest Colorado.

The Women’s Giving Circle accepts proposals from organizations, schools, and churches who may know of someone who could use a little boost from these anonymous “angels” among us. Proposals are accepted on a continuous, year-round basis as needs arise, and a steering committee of Women’s Giving Circle members reviews and decides on whether to fund the proposal. The group meets in the spring and fall to learn more about the community, meet new friends, and support causes that inspire them. In 2021, the Women’s Giving Circle supported 27 proposals for those in need, totaling $35,858. CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE WOMEN’S GIVING CIRCLE.

Founding member of the WZ Giving Circle, Ray “Kip” Parks, shares: “While volunteering at LiftUp it was apparent that there were people in our area that were in need of assistance. We created the WZ Giving Circle with people who are committed to helping families and individuals in need.” The WZ Giving Circle typically meets three times each year and members donate a minimum of $2,000 annually to the pooled fund. At WZ Giving Circle meetings, members hear directly from nonprofits who have submitted proposals on behalf of their clients in need, and vote on funding at the meeting. The meetings are an opportunity for members to get to know one another, to meet and learn from the nonprofits serving Routt and Moffat Counties, and to understand more about the needs of those in our communities. The WZ Giving Circle funded $57,374 toward 24 proposals in 2021. CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WZ GIVING CIRCLE.

IMPACT100 is a collective giving program designed to inspire local philanthropists at any economic level, and to provide a platform for those interested in learning about charitable giving to become educated about the needs in and the organizations serving the Yampa Valley. The annual donation is $100 for new members and $150 for returning members. Each IMPACT100 event includes an educational presentation about local nonprofit as well as catered dinner and drinks. The events are fun and social, where members gather and mingle with others in the community who are interested in giving back. Created in 2006, IMPACT100 has granted $178,550 to 50 local nonprofit organizations since its inception! In 2021, IMPACT100 members voted to award $12,500 in grants to Routt County Crisis Support, Routt County Council on Aging, BookTrails and Come As You Are. CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT IMPACT100.

Giving circles are an accessible way for individuals to pool their money for change, to collaborate with others, to learn about local issues, and to make a community impact. For more information or to join one of Yampa Valley Community Foundation’s giving circles, contact Traci Hiatt at 970-879-8632 or traci@yvcf.org.